Sheet feeding machine



Jan. 15, 1963 Filed June 28, 1961 7aAO FEE! I F, A

o 3 \JM m v I .ll I J I In a L i J A. COSENTINO SHEET FEEDING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m O 0 O S L- .i 3 13 a t N 5;

. INVENTOR:

ANTHONY COSENTINO ATTORNEYS Jan. 15, 1963 CQSENTINQ 7 3,073,591

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE Filed June 28, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ANTHONY coszu-rmo ATTORNEYS tree Unite This invention is generally in the field of machines for feeding and transporting sheets of material; more particularly it presents an intermittent feed machine for individual lengths of material; and especially describes a device for the intermittent advance of stock material to a punch press or the like.

The problems in intermittently feeding the material as to a punch press or the like are often troublesome and difiicult to overcome, especially when the material to be fed is in the form of individual and somewhat rigid sheeting.

It is a cardinal object of this invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved device for intermittently feeding sheets of rigid material to a punch press or the like.

It is another primary object hereof to describe a method for intermittent feeding of any material.

Another important object of this device is'to provide a feed apparatus that is controllable both in stroke and length of feed. 1

It is another object and accomplishment hereof to provide a machine as above described that will be relatively simple and will have relatively few working parts.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a relatively compact sheet material feed device.

' A further object of this invention is to set forth a machine as above-described that will be economical, and that may be easily mass-produced.

A further purpose of the invention is to set forth an intermittent stock feed machine that is both :safe and simple to operate.

The invention further seeks to set forth a unit as abovedescribed-that will be entirely safe in operation.

With these objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will appear in the following specification and recited in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which the same reference numerals indicate the same parts throughout the various figures and in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the instant invention with a sheet of material in phantom thereon.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view corresponding to FIG. 1 but with the cover plates removed and illustrating the interior of the instant invention.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view partly in section, taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view takensubstantially along line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view partly in section, taken substantially along line 55 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view partly in section, taken substantially along line 66 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate -what may be for some purposes a preferred embodiment of the invention, the entire device is illustrated generally at 9.

As best illustrated in FIG. 1, when assembled it will be covered by an actuating mechanism support 10 and a punch support 11.

It is to be noted that the punch press, or the like (not illustrated) will be mounted generally above the support 11 as the material stock 12 is intermittently advanced. As will be described in detail hereinafter, the punch or the like will descend cutting or embossing the finished.

' 3,073,591 Patented Jan. 15, 1963 item. For exemplary purposes, an eyeglass frame 14 is shown in phantom in FIG. 1 as being punched from a resin material. I

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 2, there is therein illustrated the internal workings of the device with the top covers 10 and 11 removed. The actuating member 15 has an upper actuating block 16 which will be the only portion of the device extending above the support 10. The said support 10 will have a longitudinally extending centrally located opening 13 to provide for the advance of the said upper actuator block 16. The said block 16 will be integrally fastened, as by bolts 19 or the like, to a carriage assembly 18. As best illustrated in FIG. 6, the said carriage assembly 18 will consist of primarily a forward V support 18a and a rear support 181). The rear support 18b will have at its sides laterally extending axles supporting freely rotatable rollers 22 to insure free movement with a minimum of friction.

To provide for and to control the movement of the lower carriage assembly 18, a shaft 26 will be integrally fastened thereto. It will be seen that as shaft 26 is actuated intermittently by means to be described hereinafter, the carriage assembly 18 and the upper actuator block 16 will be correspondingly moved, thereby advancing the material stock 12 as described.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 6, the forward support 18a may be V-shaped to merely rest on the extending shaft' 26. The rear support 18b, however, may have a suitable opening to receive the shaft 26 and may be locked thereto by means of a lock bolt 23. The position of the actuating member 15 relative to the shaft 26 may be adjusted merely by loosening the said lock bolt 23, moving the shaft 26 relative thereto and then retightening the said lock bolt.

The shaft actuating assembly mentioned above consists primarily of an actuating cylinder 28, an actuating cylind er connecting shaft 31 and a shaft attaching member 32. The actuating cylinder 28- will have at least two pressure inlet lines 29 and 30 to operate the piston within the said cylinder as desired. Connected forward of the actuating cylinder connecting shaft 31 in a somewhat pivotalmanner, to be described in detail immediately hereinafter, is the shaft attaching member 32. It will be seen that the shaft attaching member 32- and the connecting shaft 31 are joined by a relatively loose pin 34. Furthermore, the said connecting shaft 31 will have a relatively rigid projecting depending member 35 perpendicularly extending therefrom on the'side away from the shaft 26. As best seen in FIG. 2, the depending member 35 will be positioned to bear against one face of the shaft actuating member 32 when the said actuating member is perpendicular to the actuating cylinder connecting shaft 31.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 4,-the shaft attaching member 32 will have an opening 38 to receive the shaft 26. The said opening 38 will have a minimum clearance around shaft 26 when the said shaft 26 and the shaft attaching member 32 are perpendicular. Should their perpendicular relationship be disturbed, the clearance between the walls of opening 38 and shaft 26 will be removed, as clearly seen in FIG. 5.

The function of this portion of the apparatus will now be apparent. When the actuating cylinder connecting shaft 31 moves outward of the'actuating cylinder 28, the shaft attaching member 32 will tend to twist somewhat since it is mounted to the said connecting shaft in a pivotal manner.

As hereinabove explained, this will remove the clear-' 3 32 will then carry shaft 26 forward with it as it continues its advance.

A forward position of the shaft attaching member 32 is shown in phantom in FIG. 2.

When the actuating cylinder connecting shaft 31 is withdrawn, however, the shaft attaching member 32 will move substantially perpendicular to the shaft 26 and the actuating cylinder connecting shaft 31. This is in that the actuating cylinder connecting shaft depending member 35 bearing against the face of the shaft attaching member 32 will prevent the opposite rotation of the shaft attaching member 32 past its perpendicular position. Thus, as the said actuating cylinder connecting shaft 31 is caused to be withdrawn, the shaft attaching member 32 will slip over the shaft 26 causing no movement thereof.

For certain applications, in order to insure no movement of the shaft 26 during the return stroke of the actuating cylinder connecting shaft 31, a braking cylinder 60 may be provided. As the return stroke of the actuating mechanism is commenced, the said braking cylinder 60 will be actuated, causing its extending movable tip 61 to bear against the shaft 26. This will effectively prevent any return movement of the said shaft. As the actuating.

cylinder connecting shaft 31 commences its next advance, the pressure will be withdrawn from the braking cylinder 60 allowing forward movement of the activating mechanism.

Adjustably positioned somewhat forward of the shaft actuating member 32, will be a switch retaining block 40. The switch retaining block 40 will have a pushbutton-type electrical switch 41 connected at one face. As the shaft attaching member 32 is caused to advance, it will intersect the electrical switch 41 causing the said switch to close, which will in turn cause the actuating cylinder 28 to reverse direction, thereby withdrawing the actuating cylinder connecting shaft 31 and the shaft attaching member 32.

The switch retaining block 40 may be adjustably positioned by an extending connecting member 44 threaded over a portion as at 45. Thus, by rotating external handle 46, the switch retaining block will be caused to advance and withdrawn. Once in position, the switch retaining block 40 may be located thereat by means of external lock nut 48.

This structure in essence, provides the control for the actuating portion of the instant device. The actuating cylinder 28, while advancing, causes the shaft 26 to correspondingly advance. The length of the stroke is controlled by merely setting the position of the switch retaining block 40. When the shaft actuating member 32 contacts the switch 41, it will automatically cause the actuating cylinder 28 to reverse direction thereby withdrawing the shaft attaching member 32, readying it for the next advance cycle.

This operation effectively causes the intermittent advance of the shaft 26 and thus the upper actuating block 16. It will be seen then that the material stock 12 can be repeatedly and intermittently advanced in an adjustable manner.

The end of shaft 26 opposite the carriage 18 will be connected to a piston within the air return cylinder 50. As the advance cycle is repeated, the carriage 18 will continue its advance until it completes its travel and intersects a suitably positioned electrical switch 51. When the said switch 51 is tripped, it will cause the discontinuance of the operation of the actuating cylinder 28 and will initiate the flow of air into the rear of cylinder through tubing 52. It will be apparent that this will cause the shaft 26 and the carriage 18 mounted thereto to return .to its initial position illustrated in FIG. 2.

In order to discontinue the return of the carriage 18, a secondary electrical switch 54 will be provided. As the carriage 18 returns, it will intersect and trip the necessary electrical switch 54 which will function to discontinue the return of the carriage 18 and will initiate the com mencement of the intermittent advancing cycle. As prcviously noted, the position of the actuating member 15 relative to the shaft 26 may be easily and securely adjustable. It will thus be seen that the length of the return stroke of the actuating member 15 may be infinitely controlled in addition to the infinite control of each of the individual advance strokes, as hereinabove described.

It will be seen then that there is herein provided a device accomplishing all of the objects previously set forth. It may be utilized to intermittently feed stock material to any device, such as a punch press or the like. Both the total length of the stroke of the actuating unit and the stroke of each of its individual advance cycles may be controlled as desired. Furthermore, the operation of the entire unit may be coordinated with the operation of the punch press or the like, to which it is attached by any suitable and generally conventional means. The machine is both simple and efiicient for use by even unskilled operators in that it is completely automatic and has only one outward moving component.

For convenience, a simple extending control panel 70 may be incorporated to this unit. The said control .panel will have their usual start-stop and emergency knobs in addition to panel light and a cycle counter.

Furthermore, once its cycle of operation has been set, itwill continue repeating the same cycle continuously without change of stroke or need of further adjustment.

While there are above disclosed but a limited number of embodiments of the structure and product of the invention herein presented, it is possible to produce still other embodiments without departing from the inventive concept herein disclosed, and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations be opposed on the appended claims as are stated therein, or required by the prior art.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1-. A device to feed single sheets of material; including a material actuator; said actuator being integrally fastened to a movable carriage; and a connecting shaft; and means to intermittently actuate said connecting shaft, said last mentioned means includes a reciprocating cylinder shaft and joining means whereby said cylinder shaft is joined to said connecting shaft only during its movement in one direction, said joining means includes an attaching member, said attaching member being pivotally connected to said cylinder shaft, an opening in said attaching member to receive said connecting shaft, said opening being larger than said connecting shaft, and means retaining said shaft attaching member perpendicular to said connecting shaft only during one portion of the stroke of said cylinder shaft, whereby during the remaining portion of the stroke of said cylinder shaft said attaching member will twist relative to said connecting shaft so that said connecting shaft will bind in said opening thereby joining said connecting shaft and said attaching member.

2. A device to feed single sheets of material to a press 1 as described in claim 1, further includinga second cylinder to return said material actuator and said connecting shaft to its initial position at the completion of a cycle.

3. A device to feed single sheets of material to a press :as described in claim 2, wherein said connecting shaft forms a piston within said second cylinder. 

1. A DEVICE TO FEED SINGLE SHEETS OF MATERIAL; INCLUDING A MATERIAL ACTUATOR; SAID ACTUATOR BEING INTEGRALLY FASTENED TO A MOVABLE CARRIAGE; AND A CONNECTING SHAFT; AND MEANS TO INTERMITTENTLY ACTUATE SAID CONNECTING SHAFT, SAID LAST MENTIONED MEANS INCLUDES A RECIPROCATING CYLINDER SHAFT AND JOINING MEANS WHEREBY SAID CYLINDER SHAFT IS JOINED TO SAID CONNECTING SHAFT ONLY DURING ITS MOVEMENT IN ONE DIRECTION, SAID JOINING MEANS INCLUDES AN ATTACHING MEMBER, SAID ATTACHING MEMBER BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID CYLINDER SHAFT, AN OPENING IN SAID ATTACHING MEMBER TO RECEIVE SAID CONNECTING SHAFT, SAID OPENING BEING LARGER THAN SAID CONNECTING SHAFT, AND MEANS RETAINING SAID SHAFT ATTACHING MEMBER PERPENDICULAR TO SAID CONNECTING SHAFT ONLY DURING ONE PORTION OF THE STROKE OF SAID CYLINDER SHAFT, WHEREBY DURING THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE STROKE OF SAID CYLINDER SHAFT SAID ATTACHING MEMBER WILL TWIST RELATIVE TO SAID CONNECTING SHAFT SO THAT SAID CONNECTING SHAFT WILL BIND IN SAID OPENING THEREBY JOINING SAID CONNECTING SHAFT AND SAID ATTACHING MEMBER. 